Name

Salame Cotto Cuneo

Seal of quality

Prodotto Agroalimentare Tradizionale (PAT) / Typical food-farming product. Application for PDO (Designation of Protected Origin) status has been opened at the MIPAF.

Description

Of a straight cylindrical or “bean” shape in two types according to the calibre and the casing used: small (from 0.2 to 0.5 kg ) and big (from 1.5 to 3.5 kg), smooth external aspect of a deep red colour not necessarily even for the lean type and milk white and not too shiny for the fat type, typical flavour, not too salty, not acid, not sweetish, agreeably spiced fragrance, good texture to the palate, neither too hard nor too soft, extremely agreeable.

Fresh only, not frozen meats can be used, from heavy pigs at least 9 months of age and weighing no less than 144 kg. The pigs have to be born, bred, fattened, and butchered in the areas of the Provinces of Cuneo, Turin and Vercelli.

The cuts of meat that can be used are: loin, tenderloin, neck, shoulder, leg, belly and throat without soft fat; the fat to be used is exclusively that of the front shoulder and/or dorsal lard skinned and with the soft layer removed.

For every 100 kg of mixture from the above-mentioned lean and fat parts, the ratio 80 kg of lean part to 20 kg of fat part is to be respected. For seasoning and spicing, a mix of sea salt, spices (pepper, cinnamon, cloves), wine and if necessary sugar, aromatic herbs, flavouring and preservatives are added to the mixture. The mixture has to be packed in natural casing. Cooking in steam ovens or in a bain marie has to bring the temperature to the heart of the product at no less than 68° C and the product is then stored at temperatures between 0 and 4 °C.

Area of production

Province of Cuneo.

History

Salame Cotto Cuneo originates from a farming and cold pork product tradition linked with pig breeding and its utilisation. Salame Cotto exalted less important meats and cuts, but equally tasty if processed and supplemented with spiced ingredients, which goes to confirm the old saying “no part of the pig is thrown away”. In fact, whilst the better cuts were used to produce hams and raw salamis; the entrails and trimmings were used to pack ‘cotechino’ and cooked salamis of lower value. Cooking with supplements of spices and local wines represented the easiest way to store the product. Thus, apart from cooked salami, other types of salami were also made, such as the “d’l cune”, the “d’l brise”, and the “budin” salamis.

Salame Cotto is obtained from important top quality cuts, but has always maintained a connection with the traditional techniques of preparation.

The Consorzio Salumeria Tipica (Con.Sa.Ti.) has been founded with the objective of protecting and giving value to the production of typical Cuneo cold pork products, with office at the Chamber of Commerce of Cuneo, Via E. Filiberto 3, 12100 Cuneo.